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This phase I/II trial studies the side effects and best dose of v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 1 (Akt) inhibitor MK2206 when given together with bendamustine hydrochloride and rituximab and to see how well they work in treating patients with refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma. Akt inhibitor MK2206 may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as bendamustine hydrochloride, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and help kill them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Giving Akt inhibitor MK2206 with bendamustine hydrochloride and rituximab may be an effective treatment for relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma.

Number of Phase I Participants With Dose-Limiting Toxicity Events (Phase I) [ Time Frame: Up to 35 days ]

The Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) is defined as the dose level below the lowest dose that induces dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) in at least one-third of patients graded according to NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.0. Dose-limiting toxicities include non-hematologic events graded 3 or higher and deemed at least possibly related to treatment. A total of 6 patients treated at the MTD will be sufficient to identify common toxicities at the MTD.The number of patients reporting a dose-limiting event are reported.

Proportion of Complete Response Defined to be a CR or CRi Noted as the Objective Status (Phase II) [ Time Frame: From registration to response, up to 84 days ]

A Complete Response (CR) is defined by the NCI Working Group criteria and requires all of the following for a period of at least 2 months:

Patients who fulfill all criteria for a CR but who have a persistent anemia, thrombocytopenia, or neutropenia related to drug toxicity rather than residual CLL will be classified as CR with incomplete marrow recovery (CRi).

The proportion of successes will be estimated by the number of successes divided by the total number of evaluable patients. Confidence intervals for the true success proportion will be calculated according to the approach of Duffy and Santner.

Secondary Outcome Measures:

Biomarker Analysis (IgVH Gene Mutation) [ Time Frame: Baseline ]

IgVH gene mutationwill be evaluated pre-treatment. This factors will be summarized and used to help characterize the types of patients accrued to this trial.

Biomarker Analysis (CD38, CD49d, and ZAP-70) [ Time Frame: Baseline ]

CD38, CD49d, and ZAP-70 status will be evaluated pre-treatment. These factors will be summarized and used to help characterize the types of patients accrued to this trial.

Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) is a molecular cytogenetic technique that uses fluorescent probes that bind to only those parts of the chromosome with a high degree of sequence complementarity. It was developed by biomedical researchers in the early 1980s and is used to detect and localize the presence or absence of specific DNA sequences on chromosomes. In this disease group, there are recognized patterns of DNA sequences that play a role in prognostic outcomes. Patterns named 11q-, 13q-, Trisomy 12 may lead to different responses to treatments. Here we report the number of patients with each FISH prognosis evaluated pre-treatment. These factors will be summarized and used to help characterize the types of patients accrued to this trial.

Duration of response is defined for all evaluable patients who have achieved a clinical response as the date at which the patient's objective status is first noted to be a CR, CRi, CCR, nPR, or PR to the earliest date progression is documented. The distribution of duration of response will be estimated using the method of Kaplan-Meier.

Minimal residual disease (MRD) will be evaluated after treatment in patients who achieve a complete clinical response. Flow cytometry will be used to detect approximately 1 CLL cell per 10,000 leukocytes following induction. A score of positive means CLL cells were found and a negative score means no CLL cells were found. The number of patients with an MRD negative score are reported here.

Overall Response Rate [ Time Frame: 3 months post-treatment ]

The Overall response rate is estimated by the total number of complete or partial responses (CR, CRi, CCR, nPR, or PR) divided by the total number of evaluate patients. Complete and partial responses were scored using the NCI Working Group criteria. A Complete Response (CR, CRi, and CCR) is characterized by an absence of lymphadenopathy, heptomegaly and splenomegaly with or without normalized blood counts and bone marrow assessment . A PR is defined as having >50% decrease in lymphocyte count and reduction in sum of the products of measured nodes and an improvement in blood counts. Exact binomial 95% confidence intervals for the true overall response rate will be calculated.

Treatment-free Survival [ Time Frame: Time from registration to the date of initiation of subsequent therapy or death, median follow-up time is 37 months ]

Treatment free survival is defined to be the time from registration to the date of initation of subsequent therapy or death. The distribution of treatment free survival will be estimated using the method of Kaplan-Meier.

Patients receive Akt inhibitor MK2206 PO on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 (days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 of course 1); rituximab IV on day 1 (day 8 of course 1); and bendamustine hydrochloride IV over 30-60 minutes on days 1-2 (days 8-9 of course 1). Treatment repeats every 28 days (35 days for course 1 and 84 days for course 6) for 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

II. Minimal residual disease will be evaluated after treatment in patients who achieve a clinical response; minimal residual disease (MRD) status will be explored in relation to both the quality and duration of response.

III. Evaluation of the effects of the addition of MK-2206 to bendamustine-rituximab on B cell receptor initiated, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt downstream signal pathways, apoptosis analysis and leukemic cell activation status, as well as multiple cytokine profiles and key gene expression analysis with focus on leukemic cells.

IV. Evaluation of marrow stromal cells (MSC)-CLL biology including the effects of the addition of MK-2206 to bendamustine-rituximab on CLL marrow stromal cell (MSC) proliferation, migration and cytokine production, as well as the adhesion capacity between MSC and leukemic cells.

OUTLINE: This is a phase I, dose-escalation study of Akt inhibitor MK2206 followed by a phase II study.

Patients receive Akt inhibitor MK2206 orally (PO) on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 (days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 of course 1); rituximab intravenously (IV) on day 1 (day 8 of course 1); and bendamustine hydrochloride IV over 30-60 minutes on days 1-2 (days 8-9 of course 1). Treatment repeats every 28 days (35 days for course 1 and 84 days for course 6) for 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 2 years and then every 6 or 12 months for 3 years.

Eligibility

Information from the National Library of Medicine

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Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) criteria or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria; this includes previous documentation of:

Biopsy-proven SLL or

Diagnosis of CLL according to NCI working group criteria as evidenced by all of the following:

Total bilirubin =< 1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) unless due to Gilbert's disease; if total bilirubin is > 1.5 x ULN, a direct bilirubin should be performed and must be < 1.5 mg/dL for Gilbert's to be diagnosed

Primary refractory disease as defined by progression while receiving or within 6 months of completion of a chemoimmunotherapy regimen such as fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab (FCR) or pentostatin, cyclophosphamide and rituximab (PCR)

PHASE II ONLY: FISH abnormality of 17P deletions; (note: patients with 17P deletions will be included in Phase I but will be excluded in Phase II unless enough activity is found in the Phase I)

Pregnant women

Nursing women

Men or women of childbearing potential who are unwilling to employ adequate contraception

Co-morbid systemic illnesses or other severe concurrent disease which, in the judgment of the investigator, would make the patient inappropriate for entry into this study or interfere significantly with the proper assessment of safety and toxicity of the prescribed regimens; including but not limited to the following:

Positive serology for hepatitis B (HB) defined as a positive test for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg); in addition, if negative for HBsAg but hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) positive (regardless of hepatitis B surface antibody [HBsAb] status), a HB deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test will be performed and if positive the subject will be excluded

Currently using a medication known to cause prolonged QTc which cannot be discontinued; note: other medications with possible risk of prolonged QTc are allowed but should be used with caution; patients using these medications should be monitored accordingly

Current use of corticosteroids; EXCEPTION: low doses of steroids (< 10 mg of prednisone or equivalent dose of other steroid) used for treatment of non-hematologic medical conditions; NOTE: previous use of corticosteroids is allowed

Active hemolytic anemia requiring immunosuppressive therapy or other pharmacologic treatment; NOTE: patients who have a positive Coombs test but no evidence of hemolysis are NOT excluded from participation

Receiving any medications or substances that are strong or moderate inhibitors of cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP450 3A4); use of the following strong or moderate inhibitors are prohibited =< 7 days prior to registration:

Strong inhibitors of CYP3A4

Indinavir

Nelfinavir

Ritonavir

Clarithromycin

Itraconazole

Ketoconazole

Nefazodone

Saquinavir

Telithromycin

Moderate inhibitors of CYP3A4

Aprepitant

Erythromycin

Fluconazole

Grapefruit juice

Verapamil

Diltiazem

Receiving any medications or substances that are inducers of CYP450 3A4; use of the following inducers is prohibited =< 12 days prior to registration

Inducers of CYP3A4

Efavirenz

Nevirapine

Carbamazepine

Modafinil

Phenobarbital

Phenytoin

Pioglitazone

Rifabutin

Rifampin

St. John's wort

Contacts and Locations

Information from the National Library of Medicine

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01369849